Improvement in machines for crushing sugar-cane



D. C. TURNER.

7 Cane Crushing Machine. I No. 46,835. I Patented March 14, 1865 UNITEDSTATES DON CARLOS TURNER, OF MADISON, XVISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFAND CHARLES SILLIMAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CRUSHING SUGAR-CANE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 46.835, dated lVIilIcll14, 1865.

To all whom, it mag} concern.

Be it known that I, Do: CARLOS TURNER,

- of Madison, in the county of Dane and State of \Visconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for CrushingSugar-Cane; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of myimproved machine 5 Fig. 2, a frontelevation of the same; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section in theplane of line as 00, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of theyokes and supporting-stirrups detached; Figs. 5 and 6, longitudinal andtransversesections, respectively, of oneof the boxes supporting theroller-shafts.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

The object of myimprovement is to express the juice from cane andsimilar stalks; and the invention consists, essentially, in yokessuspended by stirrups from the axis of the upper roller and supportingthe journals of the lower rollers in such a manner that when one lowerroller expands or opens to admit the cane, the other contracts or shutsin such a manner as to produce the greatest pressure, and vice versa;also, in the method of tightening or adjusting the rollers, and in thearrangement of the boxes that support the lower rollers relatively tothe bearings of the yoke.

As represented in the drawings, A is a suitable frame, in which aremounted three rollers, B, O, and D, the upper one being stationary,while the lower ones are adjusted to a certain degree, as will presentlybe described. The upper or driving roller may receive motion by anydesirable means, that represented being a cog-wheel, E, on its shaft,gearing with another wheel, G, on driving-shaft H. The lower rollerspreferably receive their motion from mere contact or friction producedby the passage of the cane between; but, if desired, they may also begeared in any desirable manner. The journals (4 a of the lower rollerspass out through openings 1) b of the frame of sufficient size to allowsome adjustment up and down, and rest in boxes I I, which are providedcentrally and transversely with grooves c c, that fit over bearings d dof a yoke, K, at each end of the frame. This yoke is suspended in themiddle in the fork f of a stirrup, L, which extends upward, having aring, 9, that fits over the bearing 0 of the journal of the upper ordriving roller. I prefer to inclose the middle of the yoke that rests inthe fork ina block, h, so that it may vibrate easily. Slots 7g 70 arecut in the sides of the fork, in which rest a block, Z, and between thisblock and the yoke is a key or wedge, m, by driving or tightening whichthe lower rollers may be raised to any desired degree. The yoke is keptin position by means of suitable guides, at a, attached to the side ofthe frame. Among the advantages of this arrangement are the following:

First. The yoke K forms alever, having its fulcrum in the center, sothat as the roller supported by one side of the lever is depressed thatsupported by the other is raised. This action is of great consequence incrushing cane, for it is desirable that the mouth or opening 19, betweenthe rollers, through which the cane enters, should be large, so that itwill pass easily, while at the opposite side, q, it should be closed, soas to effectually crush the cane. By this means the rollers adaptthemselves exactly to placefor the wider one opens to receive thematerial, the closer the other shuts to crush it. By this means, also,the rollers adapt themselves to any inequality of the material thatpasses through. I am enabled by the use of the key on to raise ordepress the'yoke at any time, so as to make the rollers bear more orless. 7

Second. The employment of stirrups L in connection with the yoke enablesme to suspend the lower rollers upon the box 0 of the upper one. Thisbinds the rollers together in such a manner that the strain is in agreat measure confined theretothat is, the lower rollers, being bound tothe upper one, do not bear in that portion of the frame where they aresituated, but are suspended from the point 0 in the center of the frame.The sides of the frame, therefore, can be of much less strength than isusually required, the center being always the strongest. The stirrupalso forms the most convenient means of suspending the yoke to producethe best action, though it is apparent that other means of supportingand adjusting the yoke might be devised.

Third. The boxes I I, supporting the jourtion, as described above.

2. 7 cases nals of the lower rollers, by being provided with the groovesc c, resting on the bearings d d of the yoke, allow the rollers to adaptthemselves to any position without their journals binding or producingexcessive friction. For instance, it is frequently the case that alarger amount of the material to be crushed passes through at one end ofthe rollers than at the other, in which case the tendency would be toseparate the rollers to a greater degree at that end. In this condition,if the boxes I were rigid, there would be great binding and frietion ofthe journals, as they would not run true; but by being hung, asdescribed, on the yoke they can incline and adapt themselves exactly tothe position of the rollers, as indicated by red lines, Fig. 5. Thegrooves and bearings 0 (Z also keep the boxes in place on the yoke.

Fourth. The employment of the spring 5 gives a certain degree ofelasticity or yieldingness t0 the yoke, so as to allow any hardsubstance--such, for instance, as a small stoneto pass through, and itsposition is such as to yield on either side of the center, and thusallow the lever to move in either direetion. By this arrangement asingle spring answers to give elasticity to both lower rollers, therebyavoiding the necessity of a separate spring to each, with complicatedaccoirpanying devices which could not be used, and still allow the yoketo have the vibrating mo- It will be seen that the employment of thesingle spring allows the yoke a free movement under all circumstances.

WVhat-I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The stirrup L, suspended from the fixed bearing of the upper roller,and sustaining the lower rollers in place in the act of pressing, andallowing them a free motion, and so arranged as to bind the rollerstogether, so as to confine the strain principally to the middle of theframe, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the stirrup L, the yoke K, and rollers G, D, andB, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In combination with the yoke K, provided with the rounded bearings dd, and with the rollersOD B, the boxes I I, provided with transversegrooves c ,c, resting on the said bearings of the yoke, the whole soarranged that the yoke is allowed to vibrate to open or close therollers, and so that either one end or the other of the lower rollersmay be depressed more than the opposite end, to allow any inequality topass through, substantially as herein set forth. V

4. The spring 5 and block 71., in combination with the yoke K androllers O B D, arranged and operating substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

1) ON CARLOS TURNER.

\Vitnesses:

.T. M. FLOWER, R. 'F. HoGoMoaL.

